About Libra

By Myriam Maytorena

The seventh Sign of the Zodiac which also rules the seventh House, the House of Partnership.
Libra is ruled by the Planet Venus, Venus being the Goddess of Love in Roman mythology.
In the Zodiac Libra is opposite Aries.

Libra is the sign of the Scales, looking for Peace and Harmony, Balance and Cooperation, Marriage and Partnership, sometimes fickle and indecisive.

What a Libra is Like:

Strong - Willed, determined, stubborn, complex, secretive with more skeletons in their closet(imagined or real) than anybody else.

They are objective and just but abhor conflict and will give in just to keep the peace.

They perceive the world through intellect and because of this they tend to be very judicial.

They are skilled at communicating.

Despite being independent, Libras want to make other people happy because they value other people more than they value themselves. That does not mean that they yield themselves totally against their principles; they can then be like a rock, unyielding.

They will not allow themselves to become embroiled with things or people which are distasteful, because they have an enormous sense of elegance and morality.

They treat their employees and servants as equals with lots of respect and see their fellow man with dignity and values.

They are very civilized with elegance, good taste and charm and mostly good looking.

However, once they make up their minds they stick to their opinions.

They are artistic, well balanced, with good perception and observational facilities.

They are good at resolving conflicts by compromising, sometimes settling at their own disadvantage.

They are romantics, to the extent of indulging in promiscuity.

In marriage, however, they are successful because they look for a union of the minds.

Astrology of Libra

The Western astrological sign Libra of the tropical zodiac (September 23 - October 22) differs from the astronomical constellation and the Hindu astrological sign of the sidereal zodiac (October 31 - November 22).

In some cosmologies, Libra is associated with the classical element Air, and thus called an Air Sign (with Aquarius and Gemini). It is also one of the four cardinal signs (along with Aries, Cancer, and Capricorn). Libras are the diplomats of the Zodiac. Its polar opposite is Aries. It is the domicile of Venus and the exaltation of Saturn. Each astrological sign is assigned a part of the body, viewed as the seat of its power. Libra rules the lower back and kidneys. The symbol for Libra is the Scales, making it the only sign of this zodiac whose symbol is not a living creature.

Mythology of Libra

The constellation, which had originally formed part of the claws of the scorpion (Scorpio), is the youngest of the Zodiac and the only one not to represent a living creature. In later Greek mythology, the constellation, which when considered on its own looks vaguely like a set of scales, was considered to depict the scales held by Astraea (identified as Virgo), the goddess of justice.

Since Libra was originally part of Virgo (as scales), and before that part of Scorpio, it was not a distinct entity for which a zodiac sign was named. Its place may have been taken by Bootes, which is the nearest to the ecliptic. Since the place Bootes should have held on the ecliptic is vacant, it may have, together with Ursa Major, Draco, and Ursa Minor, also in Libra, led to the myth of the apples of the Hesperides, one of The Twelve Labours of Herakles.